Hissing, I unclench my back teeth. “She doesn’t remember, does she?”
“No.” His eyes darken. “They found Rohypnol in her system.”
I go still. The bastard roofied her.
“Was it Bourdin?” My fists curl against my thighs, and it takes everything in me not to launch the coffee cup across the room.
Shifting in his chair, Kelly’s brother turns his head toward his arsenal. “I can’t be sure. She refused to press charges.”
Unspoken words hang between us. If I’d been in his shoes, I’d have torn the motherfucker apart.
“I got pissed.” Kade makes a fist, then releases it. “Probably didn’t handle it well. She’s my fucking sister, for chrissakes.” His voice cracks slightly before he turns away.
Once he gathers his composure, he exhales through his nose. “Dante said he’d handle it. Kept her out of fieldwork and put her on vehicle crossings instead. She’s got her job, her insurance, and her daughter has been safe… until you showed up.”
I meet his eyes. “Say the word. I’ll make sure the pedophile suffers.”
Mackenzie’s uncle lets out a short, bitter laugh. “Why do you think I haven’t already?”
Not wanting to guess, I remain silent.
“No proof, bro, no proof.” When his eyes glisten, I turn away, giving him a moment to recover.
Afterward, I refill my coffee, my hands still shaking. Slate told me to do the right thing, but what the hell? How am I supposed to know? One thing’s clear, I can’t leave Kelly on her own.
Standing, I stretch out my hand. “Thanks for telling me.”
Grip firm, voice steel, he rises from his chair. “I didn’t do it for you.”
Traces of his earlier emotion now gone, his brows furrow. “I see how she looks at you. Hurt her, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”
“I won’t.” I meet his stare head-on. “You have my word.”
Later, back at my hotel, I review my last few days. How do I keep my job, protect the O’Malley’s, and figure out why Iranians are sneaking into Vermont?
In my experience, the tip of an iceberg can hide a much larger disaster. While I pray the other northern states are not experiencing a similar migration, my pessimistic gut prepares for battle.
Chapter 13
Kelly
Wildlife: I know we said no texting, but can I see you? Dinner?
Having been ghosted for five days, I hesitate before responding. I don’t want to appear too eager. Neither do I want him to think he’s hurt my feelings. We’re not a couple. Hell, we haven’t had sex…yet. Why am I acting so childish? Gritting my teeth, I thumb a message back.
Kelly: I have the 5-8 PM shift. Afterward, I’m free.
He sends me a thumbs-up emoji. Because Canadians are boycotting the US, I literally have nothing to do but stare at the minute hand on the vintage wall clock while gazing at the parking lot. Finally, Hunt pulls into the drive. My heart pounds as I push my chair away from the desk. Standing fast, I realize my foot’s asleep.
As I tap the tingling extremity away, in walks Mr. Sexy Fed.
“Hi.” His heated gaze triggers all my hormones at once. Tongue-tied, I struggle to sound like he doesn’t affect me.
“Hi back. Did you finish your…work?” I almost said investigation which sounds a lot more FBI-ish than environmental-ish.
I’m sure the people watching me would be eager to share that information. Holy crap, I need to pull up my big girl panties and stop drooling over the man who has ignored me for the better part of a week.
Unzipping his coat, the G-man doesn’t miss a beat. “Thanks for asking. From what I’ve seen, the deer herds are healthy. Only yesterday, I studied a Moose cow with her calves.”
